Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Many of you have asked about the type of White Tea used in Chai, Baby!’s White Tea & Lemon Myrtle. Well, we use tender Bai Mudan white tea, from the Fujian region of China. It’s picked as a tightly curled bud with 2-3 young leaves, and then steamed and dried. At that point, it looks like a little silvery bud surrounded by curled green leaves.

Bai Mudan tea produces a pale yellow infusion and a smooth, mild flavor. We’ve added lemon myrtle and lemongrass to our Bai Mudan blend for some lovely citrus notes and a truly unique taste. To prepare, pour very hot water (just about to boil) over the tea and steep for 2-3 minutes. Sip and be refreshed, baby!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

This intriguing little spice, found in tiny greenish-brown triangular pods filled with small black seeds, has a lovely, aromatic fragrance and unique taste. This particularly expensive spice is used to flavor food and drink, and always adds wonderfully subtle and complex layers of taste.

Growing up, cardamom (we always called it elaichi) figured largely in my home kitchen. It was used daily to make sauces, rice, desserts and, of course, tea. I guess it makes sense that its distinctive smell and taste always take me back!

Cardamom is also commonly used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat conditions such as bronchitis, asthma and digestive disorders.